The dark side

Written By: karol - Date published: 7:30 am, December 16th, 2012 - 75 comments
Categories: bill english, Judith Collins, leadership, national, Steven Joyce - Tags: audrey young, binnie report, fran o'sullivan

Fran O’Sullivan and Audrey Young have articles this weekend, sizing up Judith Collins as the next potential leader of the National Party. Fran O’Sullivan does a fan-girl rave, sometimes slipping into fanfic mode. The title article locates her in the fantasy scfi genre:

Collins THE force to be reckoned with

Fangirl O’Sullivan starts off with a fanciful claim, likening Collins to Margaret Thatcher. She also seems to celebrate the ruthless autocratic style one of the leaders of the “neoliberal shift”: a shift that proclaimed it would increase riches for all, when in fact, in Thatcher’s UK there was a huge rise in inequalities, unions were severely weakened and poverty rose to record levels. Thatcher is described as using feminine accessories to exert power in a more traditionally associated with masculine power. In the Cabinet room she was feared when she,

manoeuvred her purse like a battleship on a war table

Then O’Sullivan slips into fanfic mode as she compares Thatcher’s handbag routine with the arched eyebrow and curled lip that indicates Collins is in bullying mode:

This year alone she has claimed the scalps of ACC chairman John Judge and other board members, faced down two opposition MPs in a defamation slug-out and now thrown all her weight against former Canadian judge Ian Binnie by hanging him out to dry over the quality of his advice on the vexed issues surrounding David Bain’s compensation claim.

I could have sworn Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little were the ones that faced Collins down in her ill-judged attempt to sue the two Labour MPs. And I thought it was primarily Bronwyn Pullar who did for John Judge? Collins was just ruthless enough to manipulated matters so that others took all the blame. Furthermore, O’Sullivan manages to overlook the dodgy tactics around Collin’s politically-motivated and unjust smearing of Ian Binnie. In contrast, Gordon Campbell described this shoddy affair as “banana republic stuff“:

In the past few weeks, Collins has been mooted by Parliamentary insiders as the most likely replacement for John Key as leader of the National Party … By her appalling handling of the Binnie report, Collins has surely torpedoed any claim that she may be fit to lead the country anytime in the near future. …

In direct contrast to Campbell’s well-argued, evidence-based analysis, O’Sullivan’s fanfic attempt is just the lead in to proposing Collins as a leadership contender.

But as Collins yet again demonstrated this week, her “take no prisoners” style is far more dangerous when it comes to gaining political scalps than that of any other Kiwi politician in Parliament today. …

Labour has plenty of firepower. But much of it is lined up behind leader David Shearer rather than in the front row.

All of this is by way of asking whether Collins has what it takes to be National’s next leader.

O’Sullivan concludes by implying that the whole Binnie smear was a move by Collins to stake her claim as next leader:

There remain issues as to whether at the process level Bain has been treated fairly.

Collins’ real test will come with the quality of the final Cabinet decision-making. It’s a high-stakes game that she must win if she’s to be National’s next leader.

Audrey Young also seems a little breathless and awestruck by Collins ruthless aggression. However, while admiring her assertive style, Young argues that Collins’ greatest strength is also her greatest weakness.

Young is not so certain about the wisdom of Collins attack on Binnie. Collins has been just lucky enough to avoid fatally wounding herself, and her hubris could yet be her downfall.

At least she realised quickly that such a breach of natural justice was unacceptable and did the only fair thing by releasing the report and the critique of it.

The lack of self-doubt has not got her into serious trouble yet, but it is not the same thing as having confidence in oneself.

It is a dangerous trait when mixed with leadership.

From the Liberation blog

It’s depressing to imagine the country being led my someone so ruthlessly bullish, insensitive and self-(pre)serving. But then, the alternatives don’t look that great either. Nevertheless, Collins has front-footed the other Nat leadership contenders just as they are heading for a break. I wonder if Steven Joyce and Bill English will be spending their summer holidays plotting some counter move: something nasty to inflict on those with least power and wealth, to ensure they are seen as even more of a ruthless and dark force to be reckoned with?

75 comments on “The dark side ”

Comments are now closed

ghostwhowalksnz 1

16 December 2012 at 7:44 am

The last National party leader who was bullying , domineering was Muldoon.

If she gets to be leader she will maintain her power by using the same tactics on her own party.
felixviper 2

16 December 2012 at 8:02 am

English, lolz!

He is just smart enough to stick the knife in and just dumb enough to not know that he’s still unelectable outside of the home paddock.
- aerobubble 2.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 12:55 pm
  
  National’s Goff.
mickysavage 3

16 December 2012 at 8:25 am

I read both stories and could not believe the hype.

Apparently if you, despite having legal training, are willing to trash concepts of natural justice and diss a well respected overseas jurist just so that you can get your own way then this is evidence of leadership ability?

If Collins became PM in the not too distant future New Zealand would become a very scary place …
- Dr Terry 3.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:13 am
  
  Absolutely correct micky, it is much worse than “depressing” to think of Collins as leader, it is “terrifying”, with her over-riding the judiciary and all the rest (final end of democracy in this country, which is already eroded). Collins would make Maggie Thatcher look benign.
- leftriteleft 3.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:49 am
  
  If Collins became PM in the not too distant future New Zealand would become a very scary place …
  I made the same sort of statement pre-2008 about John Key.
  My comment went like this:
  If Key becomes PM of this country, we are in deep shit!
  - Tim 3.2.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 5:08 pm
    
    ……. and, we’re in deep shit!
- aerobubble 3.3
  
  16 December 2012 at 1:04 pm
  
  Pretty scary now. If you are found not guilty and are taken to court on the lesser standard of a balance of probabilities then you would never be punished by incarceration. So essentially, when courts do make the wrong decision, the government has set the bar so high that it won’t pay out compensation for wrongful imprisonment. Here’s the scary thing, so the government can make mistakes, put you in jail, and doesn’t have to compensate unless you can prove innocence. Then it gets worse, when there is an impartial jurist appointed they will pre-load the media with anti-judge stories just to soften up the trashing of the independent judge. Bain doesn’t have to prove innocence on a balance of probabilities, 2 million will never replace the 13 years in jail he has lost, the government cannot be allowed to put people in jail without a fair trial.
  
  The scary thing is how you’re not scared already. I’m hoping that judges, when they see these new QC’s appointed under the reinstated law, they are mindful of Fisher’s generalization of a colleague.
  
  Judith Collins makes me want to vomit.
  - Psycho Milt 3.3.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 4:56 pm
    
    That certainly would be scary if it were actually the case, but it isn’t. NZ has quite clear criteria for compensation in the event of a miscarriage of justice – Bain’s problem is he doesn’t meet those criteria. Cabinet is deciding whether to make an exception in his case and provide an <i>ex gratia</i> payment. It doesn’t have to pay him a cent, but it can choose to do so if it thinks he deserves it. So, yes, in this particular instance Cabinet is free to decide whether to give Bain some money or not, and as part of that decision they’re entirely free to make the payment conditional on him demonstrating his probable innocence. It’s hardly “banana republic” stuff. If you want to be grumpy about it, be grumpy with Simon Power for finding himself unable to make a simple decision without paying someone hundreds of grand to tell him what to do.
    - aerobubble 3.3.1.1
      
      17 December 2012 at 3:59 pm
      
      I know its hard for you to understand this, since you have no credibility or integrity, but I’ll try again. Bureaucrats change the rules so that they don’t have to do something they don’t want to, and that’s whats so strange, since why would any competent politician give themselves so much power, expose themselves to so much condescension with clear criteria that avoids very real miscarriages of justice, that sees impartial judges in the UK, and now from Canada, all agree that Bain has met the standard for compensation. That standard which you are woefully unaware of is innocent until proven, judges do this thing called making judgments, a judges have decided upon all the evidence, that David Bain should not have been imprisoned. I believe our democracy is imperil if we allow government the power to not compensate for the mistakes of process, and decide to let politicians have the final say on such matters. As anyone, besides you, can quite easily imagine, its very easy to muddy the water and turn a fair trial into a farce (either way, from guilty to innocent, or innocence to guilt), and no amount of heinsight (which is essentially all the anti-Bain think they have but can’t prove in court) should be used as justification. Balance of probability is not the correct standard as its a civil standard that cannot imprison a person. Bain should call human right commision, as he is pretty clearly be discriminated by his government.
The Al1en 4

16 December 2012 at 8:27 am

Glad someone bought this up. I also read Fran O’Sullivan’s piece.

I submitted a comment to the NZ Herald, but somehow fell foul of the moderator.
In the spirit of waste not want not 😉

Collins is no Thatcher, and by the fawning in this article, the author is clearly no John Pilger.

That wasn’t so bad, was it?
- David Viperious H 4.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:05 am
  
  I too have submitted a comment that I do not expect to get it through the censor it went like this.
  
  “This year alone she has claimed the scalps of ACC chairman John Judge and other board members, faced down two opposition MPs in a defamation slug-out”
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10854185
  HAHAHAHA Oh Fran you should give up now and just write Comedic Fiction, Collins has about as much appeal as having 4 wisdom teeth removed with out anesthetic. As to Facing down 2 opposition MP’s … That must have been on Planet Key, because here on Planet Earth she backed down! As to the ACC ‘Scalps” Surely those must go to the people who broke the story of the debacle at ACC Bronwyn Puller and Michelle Boag. Putting her in the company of Clark, Shipley, and Thatcher is an insult to those women.Like I said at the beginning nice comedy Fran!!!!
  - Tim 4.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 5:11 pm
    
    “HAHAHAHA Oh Fran you should give up now and just write Comedic Fiction……”
    But that would be completely un-matronly and un-control-freakish.
    It’s not within the fran’s capability.
Bearded Git 5

16 December 2012 at 8:37 am

Joe Karam’s article in Saturday’s Herald says it all in a calm and well argued manner. Collins is not fit for office and should resign.
- mickysavage 5.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 8:56 am
  
  Agreed. The article is here.
  
  Karam highlights one particular area of concern. On August 21 he wrote to Collins and asked that the report be provided confidentially to both camps. On September 3 she released a press statement saying that the report would not be released until any decision had been made. On September 11 she refused to provide a copy saying it was legally privileged.
  
  So despite a clear request she refused to hand it to the Bain Camp and she created the perception that neither camp would see it.
  
  Karam concludes:
  
  “In light of the events outlined above I believe this was a calculated move to discredit the Binnie report before it had seen the light of day. It was staggering that she would do this without informing Justice Binnie, or giving us a copy of his report. It was galling to David that she subsequently said she had acted with his interests at heart.”
  
  This really is banana republic stuff.
  - aerobubble 5.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 1:06 pm
    
    John Key wants it that way.
    - Akldnut 5.1.1.1
      
      16 December 2012 at 2:22 pm
      
      “This really is banana republic stuff.”
      That’s what you get when you have monkeys in control.
- mike e 5.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 10:24 am
  
  Justice Binnies report was a one sided farce after reading it $400,000 completely wasted.
  Binnie interviewed David Bain for one day asked him Questions mostly about heresay evidence and conversations he had had with witnesses that didn’t even appear in court!
  Did he ask david how Steven his brother got Davids fresh blood skin and hair paticles under Stevens finger nails NO!
  Did he ask David how David ended up with blood and brain splatter on the socks he was wearing when he was taken to hospital taht could have only got their if he was hiding behind the curtain in the elco where the computer was at the time of the murder david has never bean able to answer either of these questions! but has been proved a liar time and time again!
  when you read binnies report david Bain was continually changing his story all the time it looks like Binnie was asking leading questions highly unproffessional!
  For Binnies report to be fair and balanced it would have required him to inter view the prosecuting police officers the investigating polce officers, the forensic scientists and even the jurers in the first and second trial !
  Oh No he just interviewed bain and believed all the different lies David put foward David couldn’t get one of his stories straight with out Binnie leading him!
  Collins is not my cup of tea but she has got this riight1!
  Collins has also done something else i agree with is reduced the prison population after saying she was going to lock up and throw away the key in her rhetoric she has stolen a left wing policy of prisoner rehab!
  But she definetely mucked up in ACC and deserves every thing she gets their!
  Prof Bill Hodge from Aucland University agrres with Collins Dismissal of the ONE sided $400’000 Binnie Fiasco!
  We on the left need to pick our fights carefully!Otherwise we end up with blood on our hands!
  The dead Bains Need Justice!
  Political posturing ain’t going to give them justice!
  Even Karam when interviewed last week on radio NZ made a Freudian slip replying that david was found ‘nnoce’ that where the word finished and he retracted and said found not Guilty!
  Not once has Read Karam Or Bain been able to answer the question of how the damning hard evidence of what was under Steven’s fingernails and on Davids socks yet and I doubt we will ever hear them say anything about that hard evidence as David would be returned to jail to serve out his sentence!
  The news media are not aloud to ask those Questions either because Read and Karam have told him to tay stum!
  - mickysavage 5.2.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 10:59 am
    
    Um mike e have you read the report? His factual findings are affected in large part by the Privy Council’s decision where the evidence was gone through in immense detail. The PC decided to allow the appeal and send the matter back.
    
    Besides you are confusing the issue of allowing compensation for Bain with the issue of the appropriateness of Collns’ actions. She has made one almighty clusterfuck of this issue and deserves all the criticism that she is receiving.
    - mike e 5.2.1.1
      
      16 December 2012 at 12:13 pm
      
      mikey savage the prive coucil did not recommend an retrial only suggested it left that up to the government of the day who ordered a retrail . The Police however in the meantime had decided because it had gone through every last avenue to the PC previously decided destroy all thehard evidence which clearly showed David to be the murder with the above hard evidence but with Karam and Read continually reapplying the managed to get to the privy council once more .
      even with nearly all or most of the hard evidence being destoyed it was stiil only one Juror who managed to diswade the majority or the jury to go with not guilty that juror turned up at Davids aquittal party that is absurd as well another bain groupie!
      Had the police not destroyed the original evidence David would still behind bars asking for parole as he had shown no remorse for what he did!
      Binnies job was to check out the balance of probablities and reccommend to the govt. His opinion the govt still does have to take his opinion on board!
      But reading Binnies report Collins no matter how bad we think she is (also Bill Hodge) got it right. Binnies Questioning of bain was amateurish with leading questions and no questions about the evidence of Davids DNA under Stevens fingernails andThe DNA of Robins blood and brain spatter on the socks he wore out of the house which were monitered by a senior detective to make sure they weren’t polluted and were bagged at the hospital and sent to esr scienists who were also not question amateurish Binnie he not an investigator but a retired Canadian Judge!
      Binnies mistakes!
      he should have questioned Police investigators, Police prosecutors, ESR fornsic scientists, jurors from the first and second trials.Also the answers that Binnie got from David bain were absurd continually changing his story often led by Binnie at times a judge should know better.
      - mike e 5.2.1.1.1
        
        16 December 2012 at 12:25 pm
        
        Karol your website is not performing very well as i can not do changes your server is not working properly i don’t know why but it is slow alot of the time and fails to do tasks prperly!
      - aerobubble 5.2.1.1.2
        
        16 December 2012 at 2:54 pm
        
        So the government should be allowed to punish citizens without evidence? The government is made up of people that make mistakes, the integrity of the process requires that a person has a right to appeal, if they cannot they should go free. Since at the heart of our system of law is the presumption of innocent, since you fail to display any understanding of this your arguments fail. We cannot have a police, courts, and government that make mistakes that can be ‘oh but he did it’, that’s not good enough. Pay out Bain, give everyone up and down this sorry fiasco the heads up, do you job properly in future.
    - Tanz 5.2.1.2
      
      16 December 2012 at 5:04 pm
      
      No she doesn’t. She is covering her bases and is doing a good job. The jury never found Bain innocent, after all. He is sitting on his lawnchair drinking coffee, while his family enjoy nothing.
      Good on Judith. She wasn’t a top lawyer for nothing. At the top of her game, and president of the law society. No dummy. The left have exonerated DB entirely, yet the evidence against him is staggering.
Anne 6

16 December 2012 at 8:56 am

Collins is not fit for office and should resign.

God help this country if she ever took the reins of power. She is a thug. No, she won’t be running amok with sawn-off shot gun or a knife, but she will destroy everything and everyone in her path Nothing or no-one will be safe. She is a modern day Boadicea.
- Tiresias 6.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:18 am
  
  Collins is no Boadicea.
  Queen Boudicca of the Iceni – a Queen in a period when the entire world of power was almost exclusively male – led her tribe in a revolt against the Romans after she was publicly flogged and her daughters were raped. She destroyed the Roman settlements of Colchester and London and defeated a Roman Legion before being defeated herself while on the way to help defend the Druidic power-base on the Isle of Anglesea from the Roman invaders.
  Collins is just a middling over-promoted administrator who has come to believe the hype that goes with the office.
  - theal1en 6.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 9:25 am
    
    If she were in the Labour party, bless her, would she get 40% of caucus?
    - Tim 6.1.1.1
      
      16 December 2012 at 5:14 pm
      
      You mean she’d BE 40% of caucus, and 70% of caucus’ arse space
      - The Al1en 6.1.1.1.1
        
        16 December 2012 at 9:53 pm
        
        I meant Boudicca, not Collins Lol
  - vto 6.1.2
    
    16 December 2012 at 12:17 pm
    
    “…. who has come to believe the hype that goes with the office”
    
    this has to be the oldest trap in the book and seems to sucker most every human in. It must be something to do with the human ego. Hand up who has not at some time in some place started to believe their own bullshit?
- Curran's Viper 6.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:36 am
  
  I don’t think that Boudicca would be amused by the comparison, but I support the sentiments in your post.
  Both “BOUDICCA’S REBELLION AD 60-61” by Nic Fields published by Osprey in 2011,
  http://ebookee.org/Boudicca-s-Rebellion-AD-60-61-The-Britons-rise-up-against-Rome-Osprey-Campaing-233-_1396463.html
  and
  “BOUDICCA’S HEIRS; Women in early Britain”
  
  http://www.freshwap.me/1914168-boudiccas-heirs-women-in-early-britain-repost.html
  
  http://ebooksfreedownload.org/2012/08/ebook-boudiccas-heirs-women-in-early-britain-repost.html
  
  as well as other sources
  
  http://www.athenapub.com/britsite/tacitus1.htm
  http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-boudiccas-heirs-women-in/
  http://books.google.co.nz/books/about/Religion_in_Late_Roman_Britain.html?id=CscodHyjGjsC&redir_esc=y
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_England
  http://boudicca.mu.nu/archives/187321.html
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/boudicca.shtml
  paint a more humane and rounded picture of her.
  - Anne 6.2.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 12:06 pm
    
    @ Tiresias and Curran’s Viper:
    You are right. Need to re-aquaint myself with Boadicean history. My comparison was more to do with a school-day image (loooong time ago) of a chariot with a large, sharp blade sticking out of it. Boadicea is standing in the chariot – resplendent in battle dress – on her way to mow down any of the enemy who dared to stray into her pathway.
    
    Her cause was a righteous one. Judith Collins’ cause is for Judith Collins.
    - Curran's Viper 6.2.1.1
      
      16 December 2012 at 1:16 pm
      
      Cheers, Anne. Have a look at the first link I posted. It shows a photo of that well-known statue on the Thames embankment near the UK Houses of Parliament.
    - Murray Olsen 6.2.1.2
      
      16 December 2012 at 5:28 pm
      
      Boadicea used her scythed chariot to attack fully armed Roman soldiers. Collins uses hers to attack the weak and defenseless. She would mow down the sick tent full of invalids, not the able bodied legionnaires. And her followers would claim it as a great and courageous victory.
Hanswurst 7

16 December 2012 at 9:08 am

I would have to concur with Young and O’Sullivan concerning the enviable quantities of courage and aggression that Collins possesses. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be matched even remotely by any semblance of competence. Even on the basis of the presumably very small proportion of her work that filters through to the public eye, she seems to be something of a ham-fisted fool.
muzza 8

16 December 2012 at 9:15 am

While one would expect this kind of cheerleading response to the situation by FOS, who must be treading a fine line between psychotic/delusional/pathalogical these days, what has been (un) surprising is the silence of the NZ legal/judical fraternity towards Collins actions.

Or have I missed the collective scorining given the utter disgrace Collins is bringing to the NZ chapters of these *professions*?
- karol 8.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 8:31 pm
  
  Well, Andrew Geddis on Pundit has a go. But it’s quite a complex discussion running into 60+ comments, with Geddis offering his legally-informed views in response.
Viper73 9

16 December 2012 at 9:25 am

I hope Collins isn’t the next leader because Labour will probably win the next two elections so I’d prefer that Collins waits until after the next two elections until she becomes leader. Let Joyce take the fall instead…
- Curran's Viper 9.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:58 am
  
  So she’s being set up to take the fall by Joyce ? I doubt he will still be around by the next
  electoral cycle. The world will be a different place by then.
marsman 10

16 December 2012 at 10:02 am

Fran O’Sullivan is probably indicative of the sad mind-set possessed by people who would vote for the excuse of a Government that we have been landed with i.e. deluded, non-caring and self-serving.
BM 11

16 December 2012 at 10:15 am

Go Collins.
I like the cut of her jib.

[RL: That’s the last one of these sycophantic little droppings you get to leave here.]
- Orca 11.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 11:30 am
  
  Are you referring to a cutter rig (or a yankee pair) ?
  - Macro 11.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 5:39 pm
    
    “I like the cut of his/her jib” is a naval expression which is used to convey appreciation of the style and look of another. It refers to well set sails, ie a sailing vessel taking full advantage of the available wind. A vessel sailing well has good shape to it’s sails, hence ‘I like the cut of it’s jib (ie sail)’
    
    Frankly I find the cut of Collins jib to be rather unappealing – but there you go.
- BM 11.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 12:17 pm
  
  Is it against the rules to like Judith Collins?
  - mike e 11.2.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 12:34 pm
    
    Karol BM should be allowed to stay i always notice that when we ban a known right winger the number and variety of the lefts respose goes down markedly they are good motivators of us on the left and get more of us of our chuffs to respond which is a good thing .Trolling endlessly is different!
    But Bm blindly following is not my idea of good democracy!
    The other day some of our left wingers were making very uncalled for comments about Chris Findlayson which you were up in arms against.No one was banned!
    Any one who think Collins is electable must be bonkers it would be good for the left to have her as their leader
    !
    - vto 11.2.1.1
      
      16 December 2012 at 9:15 pm
      
      ” were making very uncalled for comments about Chris Findlayson which you were up in arms against.No one was banned!”
      
      I don’t believe anyone did any such thing
  - Orca 11.2.2
    
    16 December 2012 at 1:04 pm
    
    “On a boat with two staysails the inner sail is called the staysail, and the outer (foremost) is called the jib. This combination of two staysails is called a cutter rig (or a yankee pair) and a boat with one mast rigged with two staysails and a mainsail is called a cutter.”
    Source:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/jib
  - Tim 11.2.3
    
    16 December 2012 at 5:20 pm
    
    As long as it’s not against the law for me to offer my deepest sympathies
irascible 12

16 December 2012 at 10:57 am

The PR spin in The Herald and Dominion Post gets almost surreal. Yesterday the SST online published a Parrota press handout / cum speech notes verbatim, without indicating that it was from Parrota’s office and without any right of response. Later acknowledged as an opinion piece.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/8080112/The-education-review-a-chance-to-get-it-right

Today The Herald comes out cheerleading for the “Crusher” whose behaviour and attitude to the due process of law puts her into theParrota competency camp rather than any elevated position of responsibility.

I, too, did not see Collins as successfully facing down Mallard & Little over Collins’ claim that she had been libeled over the ACC debacle. As far as I could determine Collins put herself into an untenable legal position that would, if she’d pushed the case to its logical conclusion, been an expensive public humiliation of her. Thus. she decided to “negotiate” her way out of the mess by agreeing to accept the non-apology from Mallard and Little andattempting to spin it into a vindication of her “stand”.

Deserving of being a Leader of the Nactional Party or of New Zealand? She shouldn’t be even considered as credible.
Green Viper 13

16 December 2012 at 11:21 am

The problem for me is quite simple. Bain has been found not guilty. The rest is speculation and sets a dangerous precedent. Whatever personal views we hold on his innocence or guilt he should now as a matter of course be compensated.
- Blue Viper 13.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 1:03 pm
  
  The trouble is that most Kiwis don’t actually want a person who may have murdered five people to get paid millions of dollars for doing it.
  
  That is why there is the ‘balance of probabilities’ test, which is lower than the ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ test used in criminal trials. This test is not ‘speculation’, it is an attempt to find out the truth of the matter in an objective way.
  
  And there is nothing ‘matter of course’ about being compensated. NZ has no provisions for automatic compensation for wrongful imprisonment.
  - aerobubble 13.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 1:09 pm
    
    Balance of probabilities is the civil standard, and cannot lead to punishment by incarceration.
    
    Courts make bad decisions, they like everyone shouldn’t be let off for poor process, least the next time we are wrongly accused and find we are wrongly convicted too.
- Tim 13.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 5:29 pm
  
  TOTALLY agree! Had he been found not guily initially, then he would not have served time and we wouldn’t be here. Instead, it’s been found that the original guily verdicts were wrong and he should have been found not guilty. That’s what he’s owed compensation for. He’s served time when he should not have.
  I have an immediate relative that served time with Arthur Allen in Paremoremo. His “impression” was that Arfa was guilty – based on certain inconsistecies. As it turned out it all proved to be gossip and speculation.
  Same shit, different stink.
  All this is about is a mean-spirited and very UGLY (in every sense of the word) Judith Collins trying to progress an agenda. I don;t even think it’s about a genuine concern on her part for setting some sort of precedent.
  It’s ugliness personified. But what better image of such ugliness than good ole Jude I guess.
  I hope she’s happy in some gated community during her dotage in the not too distant.
  - aerobubble 13.2.1
    
    17 December 2012 at 4:09 pm
    
    As I understand it, the very practice of having to retain a lawyer, engage with police, is in itself a punishment. Bain served 13? years in jail, 2 million will never recoup that. He obviously has been punished by all the media attention, all the bad jumper days, all for walking in on what probably was a murder suicide gone wrong. We just don’t know who goes on these killing sprees, take the recent Americian example, it was the younger of two brothers. What’s to say Bains younger brother ws involved. We just don’t know because the evidence was either no collected or not retained.
    And that’s the problem, we should never reward guilt until proven innocent.
vto 14

16 December 2012 at 11:38 am

She shows all the hallmarks of a person required to be leader of a party like National.

Deception.

Cold-blooded.
Adrian 15

16 December 2012 at 1:32 pm

I thought Fisher who Collins got in to do the “independent” “peer” review was the crown solictor who prosecuted Bain. If thats the case then “kiwifruit republic” trumps the banana one any day.
Raa 16

16 December 2012 at 1:51 pm

Hmm .. slight problem.

The kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a woody vine in the genus Actinidia.[1]

The fuzzy kiwifruit is native to southern China. It has now been declared a “National Fruit” of China.[3] Other species of Actinidia are native to India and Japan and southeastern Siberia. Cultivation of the fuzzy kiwifruit spread from China in the early 20th century, when seeds were introduced to New Zealand by Mary Isabel Fraser, the principal of Wanganui Girls’ College, who had been visiting mission schools in Yichang, China.[4] The seeds were planted in 1906 by a Wanganui nurseryman, Alexander Allison, with the vines first fruiting in 1910.

As the local popularity of this fruit increased New Zealanders discarded the old Chinese name for the fruit (yáng táo[note 1])[5] in favor of the name Chinese Gooseberry.[6] When the export market to the United States started to grow the fruit was marketed under the invented name melonette as US-China relations were not positive. The San Francisco importer at Ziel & Co suggested that this name was unsuitable, as both melons and berries attracted high duties, recommending instead a short Maori name.

Around 1962 it was proposed that the fruit be named after the kiwi, New Zealand’s national symbol, as the bird and the fruit share a similar appearance (small, brown and furry).[7] “Kiwifruit” was used as a global brand for marketing the fuzzy kiwifruit, but was not registered internationally as a trademark. Kiwifruit has since become a common name for all commercially grown fruit from the family Actinidia. Outside of Australasia, all New Zealand kiwifruits are now marketed under the brand-name label Zespri.[8]

In Chinese, the current word for most wild or local varieties of the kiwifruit is the Macaque peach. The imported varieties are often referred to as wonder fruit, the Chinese version of the original trademarked term kiwifruit. See the table below for other Chinese words for kiwifruit.[9]

Literal translation Chinese Romanization
(Pinyin)
Sunny peach 陽桃 yáng táo
Macaque peach 獼猴桃 mí hóu táo
Wonder Fruit 奇異果 qí yì guǒ
Macaque pear 獼猴梨 mí hóu lí
Vine pear 藤梨 téng lí
Wood berry 木子 mù zi
Hairy bush fruit 毛木果 máo mù guǒ

.. how about the Hairy Bush Fruit Republic ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwifruit
- fender Viper 16.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 2:45 pm
  
  “The fuzzy kiwifruit is native to southern China. It has now been declared a “National Fruit” of China.”
  
  So why not send the PSA virus to NZ (with the help of their incompetent Govt. through inadequate border control)
  - Curran's Viper 16.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 2:59 pm
    
    Anything is possible. Do you have any evidence to support it ?
    - fender Viper 16.1.1.1
      
      17 December 2012 at 11:49 am
      
      – The evidence for “incompetent Govt.” is everywhere.
      
      -Testing is still being conducted in an effort to determine if the PSA introduced into NZ is the same variety present in China, preliminary tests show it is very close but further testing is required to determine exactly.
      
      – Inadequate border control is evident due to the fact that pollen was able to be imported without authorities even being aware that PSA could be present in pollen.
- xtasy 16.2
  
  16 December 2012 at 9:42 pm
  
  Yes, totally right, the “chinese gooseberry”, as it is widely known around the world.
  
  It was “stolen” from China, then turned into a “local”, mass produced crop, bred further a bit, and labelled smartly as “Kiwifruit”, so most the world now believes, it is native to NZ.
  
  While we have this, NZ inventors of real ideas are forced to, and in some cases do so willingly for personal gain, to sell their ideas overseas.
  
  That is “Kiwi ingenuity” as I have observed it over years. Not much ingenuity and integrity at all.
  
  If NZers want to become a successful country, you better start to develop, reward and protect intellectual property and what comes with it, rather than allow it to be sold off.
  
  Kiwifruits are now grown all over the globe, and the NZ version, suffering also from the PSA set back, is facing an uphill struggle. Smart economics looks different to me!!!
Hillary 17

16 December 2012 at 2:24 pm

The reason Collins backed down is because -John Judge, Ralph Stewart, Megan Wallace, Acumen/Micheal Dunlop, Pullar, Boag, ACC executives & ACC Board members would all be required to give evidence with question marks over who would support Collins in their testimony; discovery would be embarrassing to her & ACC – her portfolio; Mallard & Little had a strong defense; the case would be dragged out for several years; Collins would have worn costs, (possibly $300k); & her covert agenda would have been exposed. Collins had no choice but to back down as continuing would have been an unwise, career limiting & a costly move.
Saarbo 18

16 December 2012 at 3:48 pm

“In the past few weeks, Collins has been mooted by Parliamentary insiders as the most likely replacement for John Key as leader of the National Party”

This is a classic corporate trick, Key will manoeuvre an idiot as his replacement to make himself look better when he leaves. But Key is lucky, he is spoilt for choice.
mike 19

16 December 2012 at 4:29 pm

She’s enjoying this photoshoot a little to much for my liking.
Anne 20

16 December 2012 at 4:33 pm

She’s thinking… I’d make a good James Bond girl.
- Coronial Typer 20.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 7:54 pm
  
  …Well, perhaps to replace Judi Dench. Or as a grand new Villain;
  The photo will be on the next election billboard, with the text:
  
  “Well, ahm, do you really kinda yinno, expect me to talk?”
  “No Mr Shearer, I expect you to DIE.”
  
  And she would keep the white Persian cat.
One Tāne Viper 21

16 December 2012 at 4:38 pm

Collins, the farce to be reckoned with.

It’s farcical that she would be considered for leadership after her performance, but she has what it takes to lead the National Party.
Coronial Typer 22

16 December 2012 at 6:59 pm

David Shearer vs Judith Collins as respective party leaders.

– Who wins in the House debates? Collins.

– Who wins handling the media, especially tv news, Kiwiblog, Whaleoil? Collins.

– Who wins in the policy debates? Collins.

Shearer would only get the sympathy vote, after being laid waste by Collins, every time.

She is in the class of Muldoon or Thatcher. She knows there are no rules in politics. Muldoon and Thatcher had super-long political reigns in reality because there is a deep libidinal impulse in the voter public to sheer power wielded with skill, confidence and élan.

Collins, with Joyce as Deputy. Wow that is serious shit. Exceedingly powerful and attractive combination.

The Left should feel its gut contract over her rise, and ask: does Labour have the leader to win?
Curran's Viper 23

16 December 2012 at 7:20 pm

Great prose, Coronial, but it will take more than a bravura performance from Judith to win the Treasury benches.
- Coronial Typer 23.1
  
  16 December 2012 at 7:39 pm
  
  Betcha next Preferred Prime Minister poll she registers above 5%. I like watching a skilled politician rise not through some Byzantine internal leadership play, but because they are smart and popular and tough.
  
  Also betcha by beginning 2014, if National track consistently down, Key finds a new job and Joyce and Collins come to a smoothly-transitioned arrangement.
  
  Joyce vs Roberston in the Deputy stoush, Labour would do better there.
  
  Collins vs Norman: well he would emerge with his virtue and facts intact, but she would just knock him out with sarcastic one-liners that echo endlessly through the media (both MSM and Social).
  
  Just look at how Bennett dispatches Ardern these days.
  The Left (broadly) have good longbow archers, but too few short-sword soldiers or stealthy cold-steel operatives.
  
  Shearer will make even less of a scratch on Collins than he does on Key.
  - karol 23.1.1
    
    16 December 2012 at 7:44 pm
    
    Shearer will make even less of a scratch on Collins than he does on Key.
    
    That was always the longer term mistake in choosing Shearer as a “non-politician” match for Key.
  - Psycho Milt 23.1.2
    
    16 December 2012 at 9:35 pm
    
    Shearer will make even less of a scratch on Collins than he does on Key.
    
    I guess that’s theoretically possible – many people seem to mistake self-regard for character, just witness Ms O’Sullivan. Collins has to back down on litigation against Little and Mallard, settles for issuing some and-let-that-be-a-lesson-to-you bluster, and manages to convince O’Sullivan she “faced them down.” That is quite a skill, but I remain to be convinced someone so obviously filled with self-satisfaction can be popular in this country – we usually don’t play that shit.
Benghazi 24

16 December 2012 at 9:28 pm

Agreed Karol.

Judas is very slick and skilled. I think she could have handled this Bain report much better by letting the two judicial reports speak for themselves and making the Cabinet face a difficult decision together over compensation or not. But Judas will learn from this episode and she won’t be damaged overall. Her media presence has consistently improved over the past years and I now think she is indeed within striking distance for the top job.

Shearer won’t make an impact on Key, Judas, or Joyce. But then he was always there as a lamb for slaughter to keep the spot warm for Robertson. Unfortunately Robertson is a networks man with wide reach within the Party mechanisms, but he is never going to garner wide public appeal. Politics is too much of a game for him. To win for Labour, you have to believe you are there to serve the people and not yourself.
xtasy 25

16 December 2012 at 9:32 pm

Fran O’Sillivan and what is the other dipstick’s name again? Come on, I have more or less given up on reading that “rag” called the “New Zealand Herald”. It has really gone downhill over the last few months. OK the print version is not as bad as the online version, when going past pages 1 to 3, but still, it is not a good example of journalism at all.

The “law” seems to be treated with contempt by Sullivan and folks, as such comments as she lets loose are just disgusting. Do they have any legal advisors at that media outlet, apart from the ones busy with protecting journos from libel and other claims, or for privacy issues? Any integer media advisor should tell them what the law says re the conduct by “Law Crushin Collins”. She is beyond the law, as I see it, and it is totally disgusting what is going on in the NZ media, already sinking to new lows.

Collins is reading “Mein Kampf” during her holidays, I suppose, seeking inspiration from a like minded leader of past ages.

But too many NZers have a faible for strong leaders. Had it not been for NZ being part of the British sphere of influence, some might well have been infatuated by dear “Adolphus” of Austria.

Maybe Collins knows this, and is preparing the grounds to take the resolute challenge to Key and the electorate before 2014? Interesting times in politics. NZ is “browning”, both in ethnicity, but partly, and sadly also in “coloured” politics.
tc 26

16 December 2012 at 11:54 pm

Oshillivan andTawdrey display once more they’re bias and discredit themselves yet again as objective political and social commentators.

Dinoasurs in a dying rag and looking the part.
gnomic 27

17 December 2012 at 12:17 am

Any Radio Live listeners here? Anyone heard Marcus Lush and Judith early in the morning and felt the love? With accompaniment from Shane Jones? It’s almost like the lovefest featuring Brian ‘I’m Left Me’ Edwards and the BoagThing on smarmy Mora’s Panel during the afternoons (spot the infomercial). It was on Brian’s weblog that I first heard Judith was to be the smirking weasel’s successor, though not from the lips of NZ’s former greatest interviewer himself. Collins and Joyce? In that case we are all doomed. Except the select and chosen few of course, and even they will be imperilled by the follies of this duo ultimately. Surely the fates can’t be so unkind?